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Have you ever had a cat who sucked on everything in sight? I never have, but in some ways I almost kind of wish I had. There’s something ridiculously cute about watching a cat knead and suck on blankets while purring his fool head off. Need proof? Check out the video below. Of course, if you live with a blanket or clothing sucker, I’m sure it’s not nearly as cute to you. If you’ve suffered from kitty spit-soaked bedding or ruined sweaters, I totally get that you’d probably trade your wool sucker for one of my feline family members. You’ve probably also wondered why on earth cats get so excited about sucking on blankets and other fabrics. Well, wonder no more. Here are some of the most common beliefs about the origins of why cats suck on blankets and other similar items.

1. Cats suck on fabric if separated too early from their mothers

This theory makes sense in some Freudian way, but I’m not sure it holds water. I adopted my cat, Siouxsie, and her twin sister when they were just six weeks old because back then I didn’t know kittens should be kept with their mothers for at least eight weeks. Neither Siouxsie nor Sinéad ever sucked fabric, though. I don’t know many orphaned “bottle baby” kittens, so I don’t know if this behavior is more common for them than for other cats.

2. Certain cat breeds are more inclined to suckle blankets and similar things

Siamese and other Oriental breed cats are more likely to nurse fabric than other cats. Although there doesn’t seem to be any genetic cause for this, it’s well known that Oriental breed cats require a longer weaning period than most others.

3. Your cat sucking on blankets or other fabrics is a form of relaxation

Like thumb sucking in little children, nursing wool is a behavior that provides a sense of comfort and safety. A sensitive kitten may grow up into a fabric-sucking cat because that behavior reminds her of being safe and surrounded by her mother and littermates.

4. A cat nursing on blankets, clothes or other fabrics is a demonstration of trust

If your cat takes to sitting in your lap and nursing your clothes, she’s showing you that she feels complete faith in your ability to protect her from harm. It takes a lot of concentration to nurse, and it would be hard for her to focus that intensely if she didn’t feel safe.

5. A cat may suckle blankets or other items to cope with overwhelming stress

It seems counterintuitive that nursing behavior could show total trust or total freak-out anxiety, but it’s true. When a cat starts using behavior that reminds her of the safety of her kittenhood as way to comfort herself when she occasionally feels stressed, that’s cute. But when anxiety pervades every aspect of her life to the point where she’s suckling constantly in an attempt to self-soothe, that’s a problem.

What to do if your cat is sucking on blankets or other fabric

So, what should you do if your cat is suckling on blankets or other fabric and you’re concerned about it? First, you’ll need to get to the root of the stresses in her life and try to resolve them. Add vertical and horizontal territory for your cat, use interactive play as a tool to help her gain confidence. Perhaps even talk to your vet, who may prescribe a short course of anti-anxiety medication.

Thumbnail: Photography by hamacle/Thinkstock.

Tell us: Have you ever wondered why cats suck on blankets or clothing? Do you think it’s cute or icky? Do you know what caused it? What, if anything, did you do about it? Share your thoughts in the comments.

About JaneA Kelley: Punk-rock cat mom, science nerd, animal shelter volunteer and all-around geek with a passion for bad puns, intelligent conversation, and role-play adventure games. She gratefully and gracefully accepts her status as chief cat slave for her family of feline bloggers, who have been writing their award-winning cat advice blog, Paws and Effect, since 2003.

39 comments on “5 Reasons Why Cats Suck on Blankets or Clothing”

Hi, my kitty likes to suckle on those little ropes on hoodies. I am certain he feels save and happy when he does it. Not just because of the loud purring, kneading, wide pupils, and half closed eyes. He only does it with my bf and me and he does it when we cuddle him. He does not do it on anything else, and he wont do it on a hoodie that isnt being worn by one of us. It is part of the snuggles. He is 4 years old now and still does it regularly, I think its the cutest thing. It feels like he trusts us completely and this is his way of showing it. He likes it even more when we are both petting and cuddling him and he will purr so loud that he makes a kind of squeeky noise.

My fiancé and I have a 9 month old tortie. She’s absolutely adorable. She loves suckling on any blankets we wrap around us. The closer to our faces, the better for her. Haha.. we believe it’s all because her and her sibling’s mother kicked them away from her milk really early on. Every kitten from that litter sucks on blankets. We could never stop her if we tried. And since we know the cause we’d feel horrible if we stopped her from her comfort blankies anyway. Poor kittens :( at least they’re all loved and cared for now :)

I have a blanket sucker….the only time she does it is just before going to sleep at night on my bed….i don’t think she is stressed..i think it comes from kittenhood and suckling her momma…it is a comfort to her just before she sleeps.

I have two bottle fed babies. My female is almost 6 years old now, was orphaned at a week old and bottle fed after that, she is a bit timid, loves to cuddle and has never sucked on blankets or anything. My male was orphaned at a day old (they think his mom was run over or taken by a coyote), he was bottle fed by the same person (my aunt who is an amazing foster for a rescue) and he is a super confident, loves to cuddle and has 1 blanket he sucks on every night. No other ones but a fuzzy pink blanket and he is almost 3 years old.

My cat is a stray and I rescued her when she was almost six or eight weeks old. I don’t know her age exactly because I found her on the roadside weak and small. Now it has been five months since I had her and she still sucks and nurses on my clothes and blankets. She even sometimes smells fresh laundry and sleeps in it. I find it adorable but since it’s mentioned here that sometimes cats do that because of stress. Now I’m concerned for her that maybe there’s something going on with her. But it can also be because of the fact that she has never been close to her mother. I feel sad for her now :(

I’ve been in cat rescue for many years and have found that if kittens are taken too soon from their mom they will suckle blankets, shirts (with or without their humans in them, and even their human’s neck, and other kitties. I also find that in time the girls then to stop, but the males continue all their lives. I think the above comments say very much the same. I believe they suckle things that belong to us because they’ve accepted us as their mom. It is a show of trust and kitties are especially apt to suckle when they are settling in for a nap. It is cute, of course, and I really don’t mind wet blankets.

My Cat suckles only when we sit/lay on our bed. He has a sense when we are as he runs in instantly. He goes into a zone and we cannot stop him, we knock him off and he will continue to get back up regardless of how many times. he will not do it to anything else or anywhere else. Only until he wants to be finished will he get out of his zone.

my Maine Coon, Rascal Jack, was never nursed by his mum and i became the only one he knew for his 14 years. He would nurse on blankets or my shirts once in a while but quit by the time he was 2 or so. i now have two bottle babies, rescued at 10 days. They are now almost 9 months old. The male, Jack Finn, a ginger tabby, was very reluctant to give up the bottle whereas his torbie sister, Lil’ Alto Annie and since adopted ginger brother Squeegin, had what i would consider a “normal” weaning. Very independent Alto actually couldn’t wait to eat like her big kitty brother and sisters! Finn enjoyed nursing on my t-shirts at every cuddle time and on his incredibly tolerant 16-year-old brother Pudge’s neck or side. He has since stopped the shirt sucking but continues to nurse on Pudge several times a day. He’s never shown any interest in doing this to any of the females (even Shasta, my 11-year-old that “mommied” them as infants with lickings and cuddles). Although he is a big boy (8.5 lanky pounds at 5 months), Finn is a very sensitive soul so i don’t see him quitting his Pudge suckles as long as Puge allows it!

I rescued two 7 day old feral kittens. They had been taken from their Mom by a male cat to kill. They are over 2 years old now. The male is the blanket sucker & he is 20 lbs now. Yes, he is so relaxed and happy when he does this. His little sister who the male cat had hurt very badly is about 10 lbs. now and a real sweetheart, everyone who meets her falls in love with her! I am very lucky she survived!

I wound up with 2 3 1/2 week old tabbies I bottle fed. one likes fabric. I found a hole in my wool sweater and find chewed sheets and my duvet. he also likes to chew on hard plastic, thus the food and litter bags also have to be put away right away. I also found he chewed the corner off a photograph and he likes to chew on small hard plastic square shapes, thus all electric are covered up and chews on caps on my vitamin containers. I bought him chew toys but I guess it is not the same. my wool clothing gets put away immediately and I keep one blanket away from him because it is a loose wool and I don’t want him eating that. I read it might happen from kittens taken away from their mom’s too soon. I kitten proofed the house when they started climbing out of their box. I play at least one hour a day, usually more and am home a lot.

I have baby Cornish rex kittens who I took off their mum too early, she was refusing to feed or nurse them so I bought her in at night to let down some of her milk. they hardly ever bothered with her, but when they are all together they suck either one or all of each other. They are virtually bald so the skin is so pliable that they all do it. I felt bad taking them off their mum but had other kittens from another litter in the house and she kept trying to hurt them…they are very lovely though and its cute to see, hopefully they will grow out of it. :)

Our Siamese kitty sucked on my Mom’s earlobe for a few years, then stopped.

I also fostered a black kitten who sucked on his own nipple! He did it less and less as he grew up. Luckily, he has a loving home now (the kitten was rescued off the street, no Mom, poor little thing!)

I am 76 years old and I have all the cats I’ve owned my life I’ve only had one who sucks on a blanket. She is 2 1/2 years old and I rescued her from the back of my apartment at the age of four months so I really don’t know her history. However she only sucks one blanket and one spot but it calms her and usually she jumps down and goes into her bed and to sleep right after. I find it is very cute and I am afraid to wash the blanket! She also is very slim and may have some Oriental background.

I found Franni in the subfloor of my mother-in-laws mobile. I crawled through mud and muck and finally git to her. Her bio mama bailed when she was born and she cried for almost 4 days until I finally got wind of it and dug her out of the floor insulation. She was weak and cold but breathing. I hand raised her with a prayer in heart and lots of tlc. She was born Oct 9, 2013 I got her on Oct 13, 2013 and to this day she still takes her baba. I wrap it in her pink blankie and she starts to purr. It puts her and I both to sleep. As soon as I crawl in bed she jumps up and starts purring. I wouldn’t change this for anything.

I have two “rescues” and I’m convinced it has to do with stress and nurturing. Both were separated early from their Moms–and they seem to want to suckle when they know there are feral cats outside of our apartment. Our black cat never suckled but started when we moved into this apartment where there is a feral population. Our orange and white tabby has a demonstrative personality and “acts out” his needs. We love both of our “boys”–they also take turns being “alpha male” from week to week. Thanks for these columns. They answer a LOT of questions for me about cat behavior.

Ruby Lynn is 1.5 years old, red tabby, and I think it’s adorable she sucks on blankets when I cuddle her. It has to be a soft fluffy or fleece blanket or robe. So cute. We also have her other 4 littermates, but none of them do it. (We adopted them from a stray, who we also took in when we could catch her. She is the most loyal cat ever – she just needed love and trust. Of course we got everyone fixed! Please spay and neuter your pets).

We rescued 8 cats from a hoarder and one turned out to have a neurological condition which we believe caused her mother to reject her. She pretend nurses at my husband or my neck while kneading and drooling. It is very precious and we just keep her claws trimmed.

I rescued a cat who gave birth to 5 kittens which I bottle fed after 8 days because “mom” got mastitis and couldn’t nurse. Not one of them ( they are3yrs old) suck on anything. Out of all the many…. many cats I’ve rescued (25+) I have only had one that kneeded and sucked a blanket, purring the whole time. He was a few years old when I rescued him and we were together 23 years- he was layed back and happy!! Blanket sucking was just his thing!

I rescued a female kitten who was thrown from a car window. She was 7 1/2 weeks old at the time. However, instead if sucking blankets or fabric, she sucks on my neck. It’s precious to me as it is our bonding time.

Both my kitties (tabby cats) nurse on their blankets. I got both of them when they were very little kittens. One was actually 2 weeks old, it was abandoned by it’s mother, the other I got when he was about 8 weeks old. They are not stressed out, they are very happy kitties. They feel security and comfort from it. I think it’s adorable :)

I adopted two kittens (brother Trigger and sister Remi) and they were found under an abandoned truck (no mother in site) the kittens were about 4 weeks old. I adopted them at 7 weeks old and they both still at 3 1/2 months old still suck on any soft blanket we have. I bought one of those BigOne blankets from Kohls and it’s their favorite it’s super soft.

I think it’s a form of bonding, that’s when we get real close and she is petted, which she wants. I had another cat that did that and he was a sweetheart. Compare it to lying belly up and suckling, it’s about the same. Remember, cats can do no wrong, until they do what they were not suppose to do, (my theory, just kidding).

Thanks you !! I just adopted 2 little cuties and they both suck and “make biscuits” on their soft furry bed. Have always had cats but never had any to do this so was a bit puzzled. They were shelter cats (litter mates) and I have no clue to their history but they both seem very secure and normal so I’ve not been concerned – I just keep the bedding clean when the kitty-spit gets too stiff.

i have two black cats who were abandoned by their mom at 4 days old, i didn’t want to take them to a shelter because they would just feed them and put them in cage..I wanted them to feel love and feel safe, so i kept them.I did the feeding every couple of hours, rubbing their butts to get them to poop, and burbing them after feeding. They turned out to be the most loving cats! One female and one male, so happy they came out black..but my male cat will cuddle up like a baby and suck on my shirt, and i hold him like a baby. The best experience ever!!!

My cat Hemingway was found in a dumpster at 4 weeks old. He sucks on little toy and craft Pom poms. He’s 8 years old now and still occasionally sucks them. He also carries them around in his mouth. Sometimes I wake up in the morning with 5 or 6 pom poms on the bed. He brings them upstairs from downstairs and downstairs from upstairs and drops them on the floor in the living room when we’re watching tv.

My cat Graycie was given to me when she was 8 weeks old. At around 10 weeks old she started sucking on my neck. She has totally imprinted on me. I am her person, her mom. She’ll be 2 years old in April. She doesn’t do it as frequently as she did, but she still does it.

I rescued a kitten from a shelter at 6 weeks old. He is now 9 mos, I believe he is part Balinese. He nurses all the time. His mother died when he was just 3 days old, and was then fed with a bottle, which is why the shelter let him go at only 6 weeks. I’m sure that is why he nurses as he never got that chance with his mom. I have purchased a few very soft small baby blankets which he knows are his, however he will nurse on any blanket. Never anything else. Maybe someday he’ll stop but until then, I’ll let him get as comfortable as he wants and let him do his thing. Poor baby, never had a Mama. He is a great cat, nursing and all.

My Edmond does that. I have boxes with missing flaps because Edmond decided that he needed to make confetti out of it. I’ve tried giving him cardboard to chew, but that didn’t work. He seems to have grown out of it mostly.